The Board of Trade welcomes David Suzuki to speak as part of its Bell International Leaders series on November 30

MONTRÉAL, Sept. 28, 2015 /CNW Telbec/ - The Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal is pleased to announce that it will host renowned scientist and author David Suzuki, co-founder of the David Suzuki Foundation, as part of its Bell International Leaders series. The event, taking place on November 30 at 6:30 p.m. at the Palais des congrès de Montréal, is part of the program for the fifth edition of the Montréal Summit on Innovation (MSI), the theme of which this year is Climate (of) Change: Cities, People and Prosperity.

"Taking action to deal with climate change is essential for the environment, as well as for our collective prosperity," said Michel Leblanc, President and CEO of the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal. "We can already measure the consequences of climate change on economic activity. Agriculture and food processing are affected, as are the tourism industry, which is particularly sensitive to variations in temperature, and, more generally, all of our infrastructures, which are deteriorating with successive freezes and thaws. We need new ideas, and we need to start banking on a green economy that will create jobs and business opportunities, to propose innovative solutions to business and government for adapting to climate change."

"Having the respected scientist, environmentalist and communicator David Suzuki address these issues will be a high point of the MSI program," Mr. Leblanc said. "A true world leader, he strives to create an environmental awareness of the challenges and opportunities of climate change. His persuasiveness and influence have earned him a Right Livelihood Award. We are pleased to play host to an international leader of David Suzuki's stature. His ideas are sure to inspire decision makers and businesses to take action to join the fight against climate change and ensure their prosperity in a changing world."

Dr. David Suzuki is Companion to the Order of Canada and a recipient of UNESCO's Kalinga Prize for science, the United Nations Environment Program medal, the 2012 Inamori Ethics Prize, the 2009 Right Livelihood Award, and UNEP's Global 500.

Dr. Suzuki is Professor Emeritus at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver and holds 29 honorary degrees from universities around the world. He is familiar to television audiences as host of the CBC science and natural history television series The Nature of Things, and to radio audiences as the original host of CBC Radio's Quirks and Quarks, as well as the acclaimed series It's a Matter of Survival and From Naked Ape to Superspecies.

In 1990 he co-founded with his wife, Dr. Tara Cullis, The David Suzuki Foundation to "collaborate with Canadians from all walks of life including government and business, to conserve our environment and find solutions that will create a sustainable Canada through science-based research, education and policy work." His written work includes more than 55 books, 19 of them for children. Dr. Suzuki lives with his wife and family in Vancouver, B.C.

This Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal event is made possible through the support of Bell, with the cooperation of CJAD 800., evenko, La Presse+, the Montreal Gazette and Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP. David Suzuki is appearing as part of the Montréal Summit on Innovation, organized by the Board of Trade, Concordia University, and the Quartier de l'innovation with the support of its founding members, the École de technologie supérieure (ÉTS) and McGill University.

In addition to David Suzuki, as part of the Board of Trade's Bell International Leaders series we have hosted Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Mayor Rudy Giuliani, President Nicolas Sarkozy, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, television host Larry King and Twitter co-founder Biz Stone.

About the Board of Trade of Metropolitan MontrealThe Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal is made up of over 7,000 members. Its mission is to be the voice of Montréal's business community and to promote the city's prosperity. It is involved in key areas of economic development, advocating a philosophy of action based on engagement, credibility, proactivity, collaboration, and innovation. The Board of Trade also offers a range of specialized services to individuals and to businesses of all sizes to support them in their growth at home and abroad.